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Hat-Hor, Womb-of-the-Sun.
H1T-H4
Alternate meaning: House-of-Horus, {Surrounding-of-the-face}.
[to Whom the twenty-fifth day of May, day 145, is dedicated]


Geography/Culture: Egyptian. Her main temple is in Dendera (in the area of 26n x 33e). She also has a temple at Abu Simbel, built by Ramesses II (c.1279-1213 B.C.E.) On the West Bank of Luxor an area known as Deir el-Bahri has long beem sacred to Hathor, its guardian. Here She has a chapel dedicated to Her within Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple (c.1478/72-1458 B.C.E.)
Linguistic Note: Although no English words are ever shown to derive from, or to have any connection with the language spoken by ancient Egyptians, yet the close association of the Greek and Egyptian civilizations would hardly seem to preclude it. The first element Hat-, translated in the found definitions of Her name as, `Womb' or `House' implying containment and shelter, seems strikingly similar to the English word `hut'.
Description: Great Goddess of light and the sea; She Who conceives and brings forth the Universe; Cosmic Cow, Whose legs form the cardinal points; Golden One; Sole ruler; Mysterious One; Venerable Mother; Great One of many names; Luminous One; She Who thrusts back the darkness; She Who illuminates every creature with Her rays; Ruler of the sky; Mother of the sun, all deities and people; Queen of the Underworld; Mistress of all physical pleasures especially love and merriment; Lady of drunkenness, intoxication, the visual arts, music, song and dance; Guardian of women and all female animals, child-birth and destiny; Crown of young women; Matron of foreigners, and those who have been robbed.
And see also the Goddess Anthology under Hat-Hor.
Iconography: A Hathor column
To Whom Sacred: sycamore (or perhaps date-palm); cow (and cow's milk); lioness; gold; turquoise (Her temple was in the Sinai mining-area); solar-disk; tambourine; sistrum (the playing of which drives away evil spirits); frankincense; Menait (emblem of joy and pleasure).
Festivals: She is Delivered, in the month of Epiphi, on the day of the new moon. {This may have been the New Year festival - if not, there was a New Year festival (in addition to She is Delivered), which was the most important of the great festivals held in Her honor, which ended in a drunken orgy, "Once a year for the Feast of the Beautiful Meeting, Hathor traveled from Dendera to Edfu to visit Her consort, Horus. Her arrival was scheduled for the afternoon of the new moon. The statues of the deities remained in the mammisi or birth house until the end of the festival at the full moon. The result of Their union was Their son Ihy or Horus-Sematawy (see the Painted Raised Relief of Bes and the Divine Triad of Dendera)." Source of quotation.
Male Associates: son/consort: Horus, the sun, who as a hawk flies into Her mouth each evening and is born again next morning. Or consort Horus of Edfu, son Ihi. Source: Davies 57, 58; Lamy EMNLASK 82; Mercatante WWEM 53-55.
Tanetu, ---.
T*NATW
Geography/Culture: Egyptian.
Linguistic Note: see Tanith linguistic notes.
Description: Goddess of light; She Who makes possible the perception of beauty. Source: Monaghan BGH 282.
worked on: June 29, 1990; July 17, 1990; July 30, 1991; May 1995.
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